Oral Disease Affecting Athletes Performances?

According to University College London's Eastman Dental Institute, high levels of oral disease are found among Great Britain's (GB) elite athletes and is the leasing cause to poor on field performances.

This is the largest study of it's kind, more than 350 athletes from nine different GB sports teams participated in this study which included an oral health assessment checking for tooth decay, tooth erosion and gum disease. The athletes also had to fill out a questioner focusing on: sleeping, eating and self-confidence.

Results of the oral assessment: 49.1% of the athletes had untreated tooth decay, 77% had gingivitis, 30% reported having bleeding gums and only 1.1% had excellent oral health.

Results of the questioner: 32% of the athletes reported that these poor oral conditions negatively impact their sporting performance. 34.6%  inability to eat. 15.1%  relax and sleep 17.2%  smiling and self-confidence.

After the study Professor Ian Needleman made a few comments:

• "Nutrition in sports is heavily reliant on frequent carbohydrate intake, which are known to increase inflammation in the body and gum tissues.
•  "In sports where there is a lot of airflow, such as cycling and running, breathing hard can make the mouth dry so teeth lose the protective benefits of saliva and there is existing evidence of lower quality of saliva with intensive training. 
• "Stress is also clearly a risk factor, with some athletes reporting vomiting before every race, as a result of ore-competition anxiety." 
  
  
  
  
  
   *Whether your an athlete or not, it's important to maintain good oral health by brushing and flossing regularly, eating a balances diet and visiting the dentist every 6 months for a routine check up*